(Motorsport-Total.com) – Jenson Button has equated racing against Fernando Alonso with the battle against Michael Schumacher. In his “Jenson’s Journal” for Aston Martin ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, he reflects on Alonso’s career while the paddock waits to see if the Spaniard will decide to continue for another Formula 1 season.
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“The greatest compliment I can pay Fernando is that racing against him was very similar to racing against Michael Schumacher,” writes Button. “From my experience, it was tough but fair against them. It went to the limit every time, and I loved that. That was part of the challenge.”
“When I won my first Grand Prix in Hungary [2006], I was racing against them, and that’s exactly what you want as a driver. You want to race against the best, against the greats, to see how you measure up,” said the 2009 world champion.
“In my career, I had the chance to race against drivers like Fernando and Michael, but also against Mika Häkkinen, Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen. I was really lucky to be able to race against some of the true legends of this sport.”
Button also praises Alonso’s ability to adapt to any car and any setup. “Fernando drives like no other. He is aggressive, he can adapt brilliantly, and he has been like that throughout his entire career,” said Button, who was Alonso’s teammate at McLaren in 2015 and 2016.
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At 45 years old, there is currently speculation about Alonso’s future in the championship. While rumors circulate about retirement and a possible move to Alpine, the Aston Martin driver has not yet confirmed what his future holds after the 2026 season.
“Obviously this year has been tough, but it is still an exciting time to be at Aston Martin and to work with people like Adrian Newey. Every Formula 1 driver would love to drive a car designed by him and to experience firsthand how he pushes this team forward,” said the Aston Martin ambassador.
“I know how difficult it is to decide your future, and he has been in this situation before. He left the sport and came back, so he obviously left too early. Now he will make sure he is 100 percent sure that he no longer wants to be in the sport before he leaves.”
“Fernando still has so much more to give in Formula 1. I would love to see him in an Aston Martin fighting for wins. That’s where he belongs, and that’s exactly where this team wants to be,” said Button.
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